I haven't seen them, but I would be worried about the quality of the steel in a flare gun being able to handle pistol round pressures.
That, and the question of how legal it would be to turn it into a firearm.

and the inserts look like a big aluminum slug with a central hole. i have seen 22lr and one ofhter caliber listed so far.

there was a warning that installing the insert constituted making a firearm, so 'check your local laws' etc.

someone is making these inserts comercially.. I'd imagine that means for liability reasons.. the insert itself must be able to withstand the chamber pressure of the cartridge without respect to the? 50-70 yr old gun?

then again.. I'm asking because I don't know the skinny on them either?

was looking in some of the militaria catalogs.. see lots of flare guns

what do these things fire?

also seen some aluminum inserts that turn them into a firearm.

anyone heard of this?

use one?

where do you get flares?

what size?

what old flare guns are compatible / common?

prices?

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Many of the older flare guns are 40mm. I have a 1916 brass made by Cogswell and Harrison (Queens mark), inherited from my father (USN) who used it in WWII. Flares for it can be hard to find. And no, you can't fire 40mm grenades from it. Don't even try.

This model was also known as a trench flare gun, and fired parachute flares, and other 40mm flare rnds. Some would be fitted with a removable flared external sleeve.